The Icelandic Music Awards

The Icelandic Music Awards is a festival where the musicians and composers in the Icelandic music scene receives worthy attention for their work during the year. The Icelandic Music Awards is also a good opportunity to promote Icelandic music to Icelanders, and also to listeners abroad, and thus increase sales and publicity.

Icelandic Music Awards for the Year 2017 Awarded in Harpa

Daníel Bjarnason won three awards at the Icelandic Music Awards for the year 2017, was the composer for great score of Undir Trénu, and also the conductor of Iceland Symphony Orchestra on the classical Album of the Year, Recurrence. Nýdönsk got four awards for Á Plánetunni Jörð and Mammút three for their wonderful Kinder Versions. The Hiphop Album of the Year was Joey from Joey Christ, Snorri Helgason was the first artist to win the new Folk Album of the Year for Margt býr í þokunni and Annes got the Album of the Year in Jazz and Blues for Frost. Valgeir Sigurðsson won the Album of the Year for Dissonance in the Open Category.

Music Video of the Year
One Week Wonder – Mars – directed by Baldvin Albertsson

Jazz & Blues

Album of the Year
Þorgrímur Jónsson Quintet – Constant Movement

Composition of the Year
ADHD – Magnús Trygvason Elíasson

Songwriter of the Year
Þorgrímur Jónsson Quintet – Þorgrímur Jónsson

Performer of the Year
Stórsveit Reykjavíkur – Reykjavík Big Band

Newcomer of the Year
Sara Blandon

Classical & Contemporary

Album of the Year
Guðrún Óskarsdóttir – In Paradisum

Composition of the Year
Hugi Guðmundsson – Hamlet in Absentia

Male Singer of the Year
Elmar Gilbertsson – for his role as Lensky in Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky at the Icelandic Opera

Female Singer of the Year
Þóra Einarsdóttir – for her role as Tatyana in Eugene Onegin by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky at the Icelandic Opera

Performer of the Year
Schola Cantorum

Musical Event of the Year
Eugene Onegin – by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky at the Icelandic Opera

Newcomer of the Year
Ungsveit Sinfóníuhljómsveitar Íslands – The Icelandic Youth Symphony Orchestra

Open Category

Album of the Year – Open Category
Gyða Valtýsdóttir – Epicycle

Album of the Year – Theatre and Film Music
Jóhann Jóhannson – Arrival

Music Festival of the Year
Eistnaflug

Album Cover of the Year
Gyða Valtýsdóttir – Epicycle – Gyða Valtýsdóttir and Goddur

Pop & Rock

Song of the Year ­- RockWay we go down – Kaleo

Song of the Year ­- Pop
Crystals – Of Monsters and Men

Male Singer of the YearArnór Dan – Agent Fresco

Female Singer of the Year
Björk

Performer of the Year
Of Monsters and Men

Musical Event of the Year
Iceland Airwaves

Lyricist of the Year
Björk

Jazz & Blues

Album of the YearInnri – Jóel Pálsson and Stórsveit Reykjavíkur

Musical Event of the Year
Bræðralag – Ómar Guðjónsson and Tómas R. Einarsson

Composition of the YearHenrik from the record Annes – Guðmundur Pétursson

Performer of the YearSunna Gunnlaugs

Newcomer of the YearSölvi Kolbeinsson – saxophone

Classical & Contemporary

Composer of the Year
In the Light of Air – Anna Þorvaldsdóttir

Composition of the YearAbsentia – Hugi Guðmundsson

Female Vocalist of the Year
Þóra Einarsdóttir

Male Vocalist of the YearBenedikt Kristjánsson

Musical Event of the Year
MagnusMaria – Opera by Karólína Eiríksdóttir

Performer of the YearDaníel Bjarnason for conducting the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera in their performance of Peter Grimes at the Reykjavik Art Festival

Newcomer of the YearBjarni Frímann Bjarnason – conductor and performer

Open Category

Record of the YearShine – Red Barnett

Recording Engineer of the YearBjörk, Arca and The Haxan Cloak

The Honorary Awards 2015 went to Kristinn Sigmundsson

Kristinn Sigmundsson wins the Honorary Awards for the Icelandic Music Awards 2015. Kristinn is an opera singer in the bass range, and he has sung with many of the best opera singers and conductors in the world.

Pop & Rock

Album of the Year, Rock – In The eye of the storm – Monotown
Album of the Year, Pop – Sorrí – Prins Póló
Song of the Year, Rock – Peacemaker – Mono Town
Song of the Year, Pop – Color Decay – Unnar Gísli Sigmundsson (Júníus Meyvant)
Female Singer of the Year – Salka Sól Eyfeld (AmabAdamA)
Male Singer of the Year – Valdimar Guðmundsson
Songwriter of the Year – Svavar Pétur Eysteinsson (Prins Póló)
Lyricist of the Year – Snæbjörn Ragnarsson (Skálmöld)
Best Newcomer – Júníus Meyvant
Live Performer of the Year – Skálmöld
Live Performance of the Year – Skálmöld og Sinfóníu Hljómsveit Íslands í Eldborg
Best Newcomer chosen by Coca Cola & N1 – Young Karin

Jazz & Blues

Record of the Year – Íslendingur í Alhambrahöll – Stórsveit Reykjavíkur
Composer of the Year – Stefán S. Stefánsson for the pieces on Íslendingur í Alhambrahöll
Composition of the Year – Sveðjan by ADHD on the record ADHD5
Performer of the Year – Sigurður Flosason
Newcomer of the Year – Anna Gréta Sigurðardóttir, pianist and composer

Classical & Contemporary

Composer of the Year – Daníel Bjarnason for Blow Bright and Ek ken dinag
Composition of the Year – Ek ken di nag by Daníel Bjarnason
Female Vocalist of the Year – Hanna Dóra Sturludóttir
Male Vocalist of the Year – Elmar Gilbertsson
Record of the Year – Fantasíur fyrir einleiksfiðlu (Fantasias for Solo Violin) by G.P. Telemann, played by Elfa Rún Kristinsdóttir
Performer of the Year – Víkingur Heiðar Ólafsson
Newcomer of the Year – Oddur Arnþór Jónsson

Open Category

Musical Event of the Year – Gunnar Þórðarson and Friðrik Erlingsson – Ragnheiður, opera
Recording Engineer of the Year – Jóhann Jóhannsson for Theory Of Everything
Record of the Year – The Theory of Everything by Jóhann Jóhannsson
Coca Cola record of the Year – Grísalappalisa for Ali
Music Video of the Year – Úlfur Úlfur for Tarantúlur, directed by Magnús Leifsson
Record Cover of the Year – Kippi Kanínus for Temperaments, designed by Ingibjörg Birgisdóttir and Orri Jónsson
Music Export Award by Icelandair – Samaris

Honorary Award – Sykurmolarnir

Pop & Rock

Album of the Year – Komdu til mín svarta systir – Mammút
Song of the Year – Salt – Mammút
Female Vocalist of the Year – Sigríður Thorlacius – Hjaltalín
Male Vocalist of the Year – John Grant
Songwriter of the Year – John Grant for Pale Green Ghosts
Lyricists of the Year – Bragi Valdimar Skúlason for Mamma þarf að djamma with Baggalútur
Best Newcomer – Kaleo
Live Performer of the Year – Skálmöld

Jazz & Blús

Album of the Year – K-Tríó – Meatball Evening
Composer of the Year – Kristján Tryggvi Martinsson – for Meatball Evening with K-tríó
Composition of the Year – Strokkur from the album Meatball Evening with K-trió – Kristján Tryggvi Martinsson
Live Performer of the Year – Sigurður Flosason

Classical & Contemporary

Composer of the Year – Gunnar Þórðarson – Ragnheiður
Composition of the Year – Nostalgia – Páll Ragnar Pálsson
Female Vocalist of the Year – Hallveig Rúnarsdóttir
Male Vocalist of the Year – Ágúst Ólafsson
Album of the Year – Over Light Earth – Daníel Bjarnason
Live Performer of the Year – Nordic Affect
Newcomer of the Year – Fjölnir Ólafsson

Open Category

Music Event of the Year – Ragnheiður, the Opera in Skálholt
Producer of the Year – Sveinn Helgi Halldórsson for Enter 4 with Hjaltalín
Album of the Year – Days of Grey – Hjaltalín
Coca Cola Album of the Year – Grísalappalisa – Ali
Video of the Year – Grísalappalísa – Hver er ég?
Album Cover of the Year – Komdu til mín svarta systir – Mammút
Design: Alexandra Baldursdóttir, Sunneva Ása Weisshappel og Katrína Mogensen

The 19th Icelandic Music Awards took place in Harpa on February 20th 2013. Below are the nominees and winners in each category.

Ágúst Ólafsson og Gerrit Schuill for their rendition of Schubert Song Cycles at the Reykjavik Art Festival 2010.

Voice of the Year

Kristinn Sigmundsson is at the pinnacle of his career. Besides performing on the most prestigious opera stages of the world his concert of his own opera favourites at the Reykjavik Art Festival is unforgettable.

Newcomer of the Year

Ari Bragi Kárason puts his trumpet to good use as he blows freshness into the already vibrant Icelandic jazz scene.

Lyricist of the Year

Bjartmar Guðlaugsson for the words on “Skrýtin veröld”(Peculiar World).

Composer of the Year

Ólöf Arnalds for her music on “Innundir skinni”.

Single of the Year

“Hamingjan er hér” from the album “Allt er eitthvað” (“Happiness is Here” from “Everything is Something”).

Composer: Jónas Sigurðsson.

Composition of the Year

Hrím – for Orchestra by Anna Þorvaldsdóttir.

Album Cover of the Year

Sigurður Eggertsson for “Pólýfónía” by Apparat Organ Quartet

Dikta was voted the most popular band for the second consecutive year.

Iceland Airwaves had the internet presence of the year according to tonlist.is

Mezzoforte received a special grant from Reykjavík/Loftbrú for their 35 years of presenting Icelandic music abroad.